Calico Wedding Videos

Country Club Wedding

2011-11-14T09:41:00.001-08:00

Regina & Navi concluded multiple days of wedding celebrations on 9/24/11. After getting ready at CK Day Spa & Salon, the bridal party moved on to Riverbend Country Club, which provided a sunny & beautiful setting for the ceremony followed by a seamless transition to an elegant & fun reception.

Complete Edit vs. Highlights

2011-11-14T09:15:00.000-08:00

What the heck am I talking about? I find that most clients do not initially understand the difference between a "complete edit" and "highlights only" service. So I thought it might be good to take a few minutes to explain.

No matter what package you choose, I always want to deliver the best wedding video that I possibly can for my clients. And really, I shoot the same way regardless of the level of editing that is chosen with the client's package. But choosing "complete edit" vs. "highlights" has a huge impact on what your finished wedding video will be like. With my less expensive "highlights" packages, you still get an edited ceremony, and you get a one song highlights edit that summarizes your entire wedding day. Most clients are very happy with this, as it is fun, short, and convenient to share online. But because the highlights format is short, there is less time to spend with your friends and guests in the storytelling. You still get all of your source video, so you can go back and watch everything. But it is not completely trimmed & cleaned for presentation, and even though you can skip through chapters on the DVD, some clients may find this raw presentation a bit tedious.

The "complete edit" on the other hand, makes a fully polished movie of your day. This longer format presentation has more time for details, footage of guests, and complete storytelling. It is simply the best way to relive your day, and is what I recommend since it is much more fun to watch when everything is cleaned up & set to music.

When I first began making wedding videos, complete edit was how I thought it should be done! I started offering the highlights packages so that I could offer a lower price point for my clients, and I have had a very good response, but it still is not the same as having a fully polished presentation of your day. I do also include the shorter highlights with the complete edit, so choosing a package that includes the complete edit really is the best choice. Please take a look at my website for more package information & pricing.

June wedding at Belle Elegante

2011-08-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of commemorating Jaqueline & Derek's wedding on video this summer. After a touching ceremony & fun pictures in downtown Houston, they partied into the night at Belle Elegante. This was my first visit to this hidden downtown gem. I was impressed by the seamless integration of the facility, with on-site parking & every amenity built in!

Ah, Young Love!

2011-07-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

Adorable Julia & J.T. had a very sweet family wedding to celebrate the start of their lives together. Though I am based in Houston, this wedding took place in the DFW area. So if you really like my work but aren't getting married in Houston, don't worry. Calico Wedding Videos is available to travel & preserve your wedding memory!

May Weddings Delivered

2011-07-19T13:05:00.000-07:00

Every project I create feels like my baby, so I was very happy to deliver these two May weddings recently. Brittany & Steven had their reception at posh Hotel Zaza, while Juliet & Nick had their elegant soiree at Artista in Hobby Center.

Wedding Channel Deal on May 27th!

2011-05-17T08:18:00.000-07:00

A quality wedding video preserves and shapes the memory of your wedding day in a way that can't be matched by photos alone. Calico Wedding Videos is offering a "Package Upgrade Coupon" through Wedding Channel Deals. For $99, this coupon entitles the bearer to an upgraded wedding videography service package, a value of $250 - $1000. Receive a discounted price when you book one of our service packages & get more premium service for your money. You pay for the next less expensive package on our service menu.

Please view some of our samples & contact us to check date availability. We look forward to preserving your wedding memory!

Wedding at the Houston Arboretum

2011-04-26T19:40:00.000-07:00

Last year I posted about wanting to do a wedding at the Houston Arboretum, and on March 19th, I had the pleasure of attending the French-Clements wedding at that very location! Andrea & Clay said their vows in an intimate ceremony on the deck overlooking the pond & meadow. I hope you enjoy these highlights of the celebration, which was expertly coordinated by The Party Architects.

Wedding Dance

2011-04-11T12:17:00.000-07:00

Are you anxious about dancing at your wedding? Allow me to recommend fabulous private ballroom dance instruction with The Dance Whisperer. My husband & I have been enjoying lessons with Rebecca since Valentine's Day and it's really fun. We wanted to become comfortable enough to dance socially, and we are well on our way. The private studio & expert instruction have certainly put us at ease. We feel we will be ready to "trip the light fantastic" in no time!

Promotional Videos

2011-04-03T20:15:00.000-07:00

I do more than just weddings! I also make promotional videos, commercials, PSAs for charities, dance events, instructional videos, personal video editing, and more. This short sample is a promo video for the website of a henna artist I am acquainted with. If you haven't ever experienced henna, I highly recommend it. Henna, or mehndi, is a traditional element in the wedding festivities of many cultures, and is a fun and relaxing way to spend time with girlfriends. The natural dyes color the skin for only 1 - 2 weeks, and the application isn't much different from icing a cake.

Another enjoyable way to spend time with girlfriends is to take up belly dance! I have been dancing for over ten years, and the connections I have developed sometimes cross over into my video work. Here is another example of a promotional web video I have recently created for 3rd Coast Tribal Belly Dance Festival.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you'd like to discuss what I can make for you!

A Holiday Wedding

2011-03-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

The Christmas season is now even more special for the Ramirez family since Pedro & Luisa celebrated their wedding on December 18th!

Livestream Your Wedding!

2011-01-24T09:12:00.000-08:00

Are you disappointed that some of your family and friends can't make it to your wedding? Then you should consider broadcasting your event over the internet so friends and family around the world can watch online. Not only can your viewers watch online, they can participate in live chat and truly share the experience from home. Call us & ask about our live streaming service with IDoStream.com today!

Play Your Video at Your Reception

2011-01-18T08:18:00.000-08:00

With technology available today, it is possible for a skilled wedding filmmaker to deliver same-day edit service. You can have an artfully prepared video of your wedding day screened at your wedding reception, even available as favors for your guests to take home on DVD.

It was my pleasure to create and screen this same-day edit video at Shahin & Noorddin's reception this past weekend.

An Affair to Remember

2011-01-18T08:05:00.000-08:00

Stephanie & Timo were married December 11th, 2010 in the home of a family friend. The elegant ceremony was followed by an intimate reception at table seven. The couple was married by the bride's grandfather, and he used the lyrics for the song "Glory of Love" as part of his message of wisdom to the bride and groom.

Give the Gift of Video!

2010-11-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

Have you ever considered giving the gift of video as a wedding present? Lucky bride Lauren & her groom Travis received their wedding video as a gift from her maid of honor & best friend. Now every time they relive their wedding memory, they will also remember this thoughtful & touching gift.

Calico Wedding Videos offers gift certificates for all of our wedding services. Contact us when you want to give a gift that will be remembered for years to come!

What is a Concept Video?

2010-10-28T06:33:00.000-07:00

Wedding video can be anything you want it to be. It really depends on what's important to you. If you want to remember the events of your special day & be able to relive that experience, then "Day of Wedding" service is right for you. But if you would really just like a short & romantic video to commemorate the occasion, a "Concept Video" might be right for you!

In the example above, Joel & Michelle Seymour celebrate six years of marriage by spending a romantic morning reflecting on their wedding. A concept video can be a less expensive alternative to a traditional wedding video because they are more straightforward to produce, requiring only a couple of hours for you & your sweetie to play in front of the camera. They can be produced anytime - as a "Save the Date" video before the wedding or as a "Trash the Dress" video after the fact. If you have a creative concept, you can produce the video around that idea, or you can take the "Bridal Glamour" approach. Either way, you may want to keep a concept video in mind as an alternative to the traditional wedding video.

Just the Party, please!

2010-10-28T06:26:00.000-07:00

Destination weddings are popular these days for lots of good reasons, but some people still don't want to miss out on partying with friends and family when they get home. Justin & Amanda escaped to Napa Valley for their nuptials and then celebrated at the Pelazzio with a karaoke reception afterward. DJ duties were handled by Unique Celebrations, and we made this fun video to commemorate the occasion.

Wedding Budget Tips

2010-05-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

Every client that comes to me is on a tight budget it seems, and I understand that. I know how hard it can be to decide where to make cuts. So today I thought I would share several money-saving tips from my own wedding!

I think the first thing to do when you're working on a budget is to ask yourself what's really important to you. In my case, I wanted to throw a great party for our friends, and I wanted a beautiful outdoor setting. We chose March 18th, 2006, because it gets hot early in Texas and I wanted our guests to be comfortable. I was lucky enough to have friends with a large, wooded property, and so the first thing we saved money on was a venue. We did incur some expense in rentals for tables, chairs, and other necessary items, but obviously this was a big help. Instead we put our money into catering and bar, offering guests sauteed-to-order pasta with veggies, chicken, or shrimp from a service line that went surprisingly smoothly. Chef Ron was a hero! And truly, my friends pitched in to help everywhere. I had friends volunteer to help with the bar, DJ, officiant, & photography! And really, this made my wedding all the more special to me because I felt like it was such a gift from my community. So obviously, if you're working on a budget, the first thing to look at is what resources you have available to you in your community. Part of the trick to this is not getting too attached to specific details & keeping in touch with the big picture. Why are you having a wedding in the first place? To celebrate with family and friends or to put on some kind of show? Don't feel like you have to do it just like the magazines. After all, this is your day & what you say goes!

So after you figure out what items you may be able to get help with, you still have to figure out how to stretch the rest of the dollars you have. I wanted a lot of flowers, but I definitely didn't have a large floral budget. So I decided to make a number of silk floral arrangements to decorate the gazebo & tables, and I hung ribbons with little tufts of flowers and bells from the trees all around. We also had a maypole, and all the ribbons blowing in the breeze were truly lovely. I highly recommend Arne's for all your wedding supply and silk floral needs. Still, I did want real flowers for the bouquets and boutonnieres. Another friend of mine had quite a bit of floral design experience, so we bought the flowers wholesale and made preparing the fresh flowers part of the bachelorette party.

I stubbornly refused to cut my 200 name guest list, so I had to find other ways to save money. Instead of a traditional wedding cake, we ordered tres leches cakes. I've also seen people opt for cheesecake instead of a traditional wedding cake. Still yummy to me!

Ultimately, you want your expenditures to be in line with your priorities. And since the memory of your wedding day is bound to be a priority, make sure you budget for a professional wedding video. Very good wedding videos can be had for as little as $500, and preserving the memory of your romance is an investment in your marriage, allowing you to look back and enjoy all of the other investments you have made in this special day.

What You See Is What You Remember

2010-05-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

One question I'm often asked by potential clients is, "How is videography different from photography?" Aside from the obvious answer, I tell clients that their wedding video will shape their memory of the event. Everyone wants to preserve their memory of this important event, otherwise they wouldn't be shopping for a photographer or videographer at all! Human memory is enhanced by the subsequent recall of events, and the story of our memory is traced and re-traced in our minds every time we visit it. Video has the power to immerse us in the environment, bring us back to the moment, and to passively guide us through our memory. Unlike photos which show individual moments or formal poses, video connects the moments and weaves a tapestry that becomes our personal story.

Of course there are many styles of wedding videography, and choosing a videographer should be based primarily on what type of memory you want to create. Do you want your memory to be a beautiful dream, full of picture perfect moments to rival any cosmetics commercial? Then you will probably want a cinematic videographer with a larger crew, more lighting & equipment.

If you want to capture the feeling of your romance rather than the specific events of your wedding day, you may consider making a concept video. Or if you'd like to have your turn as fashion model, you may consider a bridal glamour video instead of the traditional bridal portrait.

On the other hand, a documentary videographer will be focused on preserving your memory of events as they occured and will be less likely to attempt to control or stage the events of the day. The philosophy of the documentary wedding videographer is that there is beauty in the real lives and relationships of human beings, and that with skill and hard work, this real life beauty can be distilled into an intensely personal and moving story which will shape your wedding memory every time you watch it!

Wedding Location Tip

2010-04-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends! This weekend my family & I enjoyed Earth Day at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, and it occurred to me that I should mention what a fantastic wedding location the Arboretum really is! This 155 acre nature preserve is one of Houston's greatest natural treasures, offering a variety of beautiful green spaces for the perfect outdoor wedding. Added benefits include ample parking, convenient location in the heart of the city, and the indoor facilities & support of the Nature Center. Whether you're looking for a spring meadow full of wildflowers, a peaceful pond, or an enchanting wooded circle, you should certainly explore what the Houston Arboretum has to offer. And keep me in mind when you do, I would love to shoot a wedding there!

Wedding Celebrations with the Maria Williams Band

2010-01-06T09:47:00.000-08:00

I have just completed a series of promotional videos for the Maria Williams Band. Each video highlights different aspects of their diverse repertoire. Check them out if you're looking for an event band that can emcee, play all your elegant formal pieces, and then keep the party going all night long!

Truitt-Ross Wedding Highlights

2009-12-29T22:45:00.000-08:00

Carlene Truitt wed Robert Ross on November 7, 2009 at Caliche Creek Ranch, a lovely, rustic venue filled with Texas charm. I particularly loved the children at this wedding. Kids are never afraid to play on camera!

Lucio-Hall Wedding Highlights

2009-12-08T07:19:00.000-08:00

I am delighted to share my most recently completed project! Paty Lucio & Merlin Hall held their wedding at the lovely and intimate new venue, Kemah Gardens. As you can see from the video, Kemah Gardens provides a beautiful outdoor setting combined with all the comforts of home.

Lazo-Camp Wedding Highlights

2009-11-16T16:30:00.000-08:00

I'm glad to share this sample from my most recently completed wedding. Crystal Lazo & Kevin Camp were married at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Houston on September 19th. I was particularly impressed by the DJ, LGEntertainers. Their reception setup included a really cool HD video display, and I got very excited because I am just starting to offer Same Day Edit service, which would have worked perfectly on their display!

This is the last of my SD weddings, as it took place just before the delivery of my new Panasonic AG-HMC150 HD camera. This project demonstrates continuing development of my short form ceremony, and I am particularly happy with how the real ceremony & beauty shots blended together.

New Testimonials!

2009-11-05T04:32:00.000-08:00

I am proud to unveil this new testimonial video from some of my past clients. Thank you so much to Michelle, Jeff, Katrina, & Dustin for being kind enough to share their feelings about their wedding videos. This is another of the ideas I have been working on since I got back from the WEVA Expo. Special thanks to Matt & Melissa Davis of Life Stage Films for their guidance and incredible generosity of spirit. I have always found it challenging to decide how to present my work to prospective clients. Usually, I just show samples, but I've never thought that really had the same impact as seeing your own memory. Hopefully this short video communicates how much this kind of personalized artwork ends up meaning to the couple & family!

BCBC Bridal Market winner & this week's developments

2009-10-02T15:04:00.000-07:00

This week I completed the Roberts/Connell wedding, which took place on August 22nd. The lucky bride, Lisa, was the recipient of the gift certificate I donated as a door prize at the Bayou City Business Collective Bridal Market back in May.

WEVA Expo

2009-09-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

Hello! I'm Laura Palmer and I make Calico Wedding Videos. So, everyone has been telling me to start a blog for my business, and I thought, what better way to start than to talk about my trip to the Wedding & Event Videographers Association Expo?

I am so excited and energized by all the inspiring work I have seen here! In the next few months, I plan to implement several new ideas by offering a wider array of services, packages, and pricing. And I got new toys! I purchased a new Panasonic AG-HMC150 HD camera, a Steddiepod, and a Roland R-44 audio recorder.

Throughout four days of seminars, I attended workshops on shooting, editing, audio, lighting, filmmaking, marketing & sales, live-streaming, same day edits, tapeless formats, web compression... Enough to make my head swim! Thank you to WEVA and the spectacular new Hilton Orlando for putting on an amazing conference. I absolutely feel the Expo has made me a better wedding filmmaker, and I can't wait to come back next year.